By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
MOSCOW/KYIVBUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Moscow and Washington confirmed late Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as part of efforts to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
However, after a high-stakes phone call with U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Putin declined to commit to a month-long full truce.
Ukraine’s embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Tuesday that he would support a U.S. proposal for a limited ceasefire to halt attacks on each side’s energy infrastructure.
If upheld by both sides, a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure would mark the first partial ceasefire in more than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The White House said Washington and Moscow had also agreed to begin negotiations on the “implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace.”
“These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East,” the White House said.
According to the Kremlin statement, during the two-and-a-half-hour call with Trump, Putin reiterated his concerns over a range of issues that he said must be addressed before the fighting could end.
‘SIGNIFICANT ISSUES’
The “series of significant issues” included how such a ceasefire would be enforced and whether it would allow Ukraine to strengthen its forces and receive Western military aid, the statement said.
Russia has not indicated that it plans to halt its regrouping during the ceasefire, raising fears in Kyiv that Putin may use the pause to prepare for further hostilities.
The Kremlin’s account of the call said Putin set several maximalist conditions for a lasting ceasefire, including the suspension of Western arms and intelligence support for Ukraine.
Putin also demanded that Ukraine halt the mobilization of recruits.
“It was emphasized that a key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working toward its resolution through political and diplomatic means must be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence to Kyiv,” the Kremlin said.
Yet despite the setbacks, Trump said on his Truth Social media platform that the conversation with Putin was “a very good and productive one,” adding: “We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy later signaled an openness to discuss “next steps” with Trump while requesting more details and involvement in the discussions. Trump has said he wants to end the war quickly after seeing “so many young people die on the battlefields.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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